Too Much Cake

[Charity Croft]

"Uh, that depends," Charity said, she swung her hands behind her for a moment, before bringing them up together into a point, one directed at Jason, "what would you like to eat? I can totally make a fair amount and there's always the internet and stuff," stuff like bothering the kitchen staff until they helped her make something. Or just saying it didn't work and bringing a thing of muffins. Charity made great muffins. Her muffins brought all the boys to the yard.

Well, at least in theory.

More nodding, yep, she was totally looking for a place and not at all making that up. Because that was obviously the adult thing to do. Charity's head bobbed a few more times and she soon scooted out of the way. "Yeah, right, no problem," she saluted him, then seemed to realize how weird that was and lowered her hand slowly to the side. "Glad to help. Anytime. Like the cooking!" she nodded and smiled firmly, feeling like she'd totally just stuck that landing.

Mostly.
Close enough, anyway.

[Jason Campbell]

How did conversation move from phallic-shaped cakes to what he might want her to cook for him? At least they were still talking food. “Ah yes, the internet. I always forget about it. I only think I should buy myself some good cookbook one day,” he let out. Was she serious though, about food? It seemed to go pretty fast. But he thought it might be time for him to speed things up a little. He was not getting any younger. But he didn’t think he was the kind of person you wanted to be with. He focused too much on his work to wish himself to any woman.

“I’m not really difficult. If you keep things simple, you’re likely to hit the mark with me. You’re serious about this?” Not that Jason wanted to take advantage and get himself a personal cook. It might help him remember to eat at proper hours though. He set off an alarm in his phone to ring and specific times of the day, to remind him he had to leave his work or eat or go to bed. Might sound crazy, but he often needed it to stop working on his research.

That woman was odd. Maybe it was not a good idea to invite her home after all. He didn't think she was harmful but you just never know. He wondered how the students could concentrate with a trainer like her, and he didn't just mean because she was beautiful. There had been a lot of odd people at Bellefonte and he supposed some peculiar teachers too but the thought still popped up in his mind.

[Charity Croft]

Charity nodded again. "I can definitely do simple," she promised. Then she rolled her eyes, laughing a little. "I really can, I swear. I'm mostly just a bit of a spaz at first meeting. Then I mellow and stuff. Really really."

Charity smiled what she really hoped was her most convincing, charming smile. This wasn't the first time that she'd had to explain that to someone, especially lately. Just coming back here as an adult and seeing all these people and all these things and everything: It just made her feel a little frazzled, and a lot more like the awkward teenager she'd been when she'd been here before.

"So, uh, did you want me to come over and make it or maybe I shouldn't invite myself to your house like a creepy person," Charity let out another laugh, one that ended with a sigh. "Maybe I should just go? And we can just, like, leave our running into each other up to fate, maybe?" Because Charity wasn't sure how else she could potentially exit this conversation with some dignity still intact.

[Jason Campbell]

Simple seemed to be a word that fitted Jason well. It was his opinion at least. Maybe that made him a little boring when opposed to some of the eccentric people you could find at Bellefonte, this trainer apparently being in that category, but he didn’t care. He was also an important asset, no matter how boring he might look. He had an indulgent smile. “I guess I’ll know for sure only at our second meeting,” he told her. Was he really implying they would meet again? Why not? She was pleasant to look at and it might not be a bad thing to go out of his comfort zone a little. Not to add she suggested to cook for him, although he might have wished to know how skilled she was in a kitchen before accepting this.

“You students get used to this?” he asked, referring more to her attitude than... well he didn't think there was much to say against her overall look so it seemed pretty obvious he meant the awkward first impressions she left on people. Although, for all he knew, kids these days could talk the way Charity did. After all, he was no expert in teenage mentality.

He laughed. She seemed to realise it might sound creepy to come to his place after talking over cakes. “I tell you what, next time I have to go to the school, I’ll let you know. Then you can show me it isn’t a bad idea to invite you. Though it does sound rather rude to invite you home and let you cook. I suppose I could help. I shouldn’t be so bad at peeling and cutting vegetables.” This joke... didn’t sound nearly as good as he meant it to be. But it was too late, it was out in the open. Just like Charity, it would seem Jason could sometimes talk before thinking.

[Charity Croft]

"Or they run away screaming," Charity said, shrugging and laughing a little. That would be funnier if it didn't have a bit of truth into it. Charity couldn't help but think of a few students that definitely found her attitude... offputting. Well, she wouldn't dwell on it: Jason didn't seem to mind.

He even sort of agreed to meeting up with her again. Charity smiled and nodded. Then she let out a little laugh as he continued. "Well, we'll just have to make sure that you have a different job then," she offered, along with a nod. She nodded a few more times before realizing something:

"Oh! I was going to get some things! I'm sorry, really. This is so going to look like I'm just taking off," Charity was already walking away. "I just... have things to get. I'll see you around! Next time you're at the school! Charity. I'm the only one." She waved and walked away backward, waiting for that last farewell before she went off to complete her own shopping tasks.

[Jason Campbell]

Jason decided to laugh at her comment. She was joking, right? One thing for sure, this Charity woman was rather unique. He wasn’t sure if she acted like this to get closer to her students, to pretend she was still as old as they were or because it was just who she was. He didn't think she needed to act younger but some people didn’t want to be adults. Charity was very different from him and this was a euphemism. Jason wasn’t against people thinking differently than he was. If Charity might act too young for her age he certainly acted too old for his. He wasn’t against being shaken out of his comfort zone now and then. He knew he spent too much time on his own.

They couldn’t keep this conversation for very much longer. He came here for a cake, she came here for... well, he had no idea why she came here for but definitely not simply to talk to him. He wasn’t nearly hot enough to have woman stop in their track and try to get his attention. So he didn't think she was just trying to get away from him when she said she came here to get some stuff. Maybe she didn’t know a better way to say goodbye to him, but he didn’t think she was running away from him. “I get it. Thanks again for the cake,” he told her. He nodded with a brief smile as she gave him her name again. There mustn’t be a lot of Charity as staff member to begin with so even if he later realised he didn’t get her last name, he assumed he’d find her with relative ease. Her name was not all that common.

He shook his head once she was gone. It was like her spell started to disappear now that he didn't have her in front of him. She was a strange woman. But he had a cake to buy and a brother to reunite with. He pushed her in the back of his mind. For now.